A few simple yet often overlooked ways to get organized

Many folks get stuck paying needless late fees. Many more would love to hire someone to organize and plan for them. Why pay for either of these in this day and age when there are countless free high tech and low tech planning tools to help you get and stay organized.

7 Tips To Get Organized

get organized tips infographic
Tips and tricks to get organized

1. don't try to remember everything! Write it down.

It's pretty tough trying to recall your to-do list. The best thing you can do for yourself is to make a simple monthly plan, and check things off as you go. Some tasks may need to be scheduled, others just need to be done within a certain time frame. I like to use a simple printable monthly calendar and mark any scheduled tasks accordingly. I also try to somewhat schedule other to-do's accordingly. Completed a task days ahead of schedule? No problem, simply cross it out and keep bieng proactive. Try it out with a calendar from the selection below.

2. Clean up and declutter.

One of the best ways to stay organized is to simply clean up your space and de-clutter. This simple task has a profound effect on your psychology (out with the old, in with the new). There is a reason why many employers have a clean desk policy. Likewise, recycle and donate old clothes and belongings. Personally, I prefer the salvation army as they work to rehabilitate homeless people. Have too much stuff? Try to donate a few items before purchasing more. Check your mailbox often, as this helps protect you from criminals that can easily pick up an important document, and clean out your inbox and un-subscribe from spammy email.

3. Be ready to move.

I like to keep all my valuables like passports, birth certificates, marriage certificates, banking/insurance paperwork in an easy to get to portable fire safe. A simple backpack will suffice as well. The idea bieng, in case of emergency, simply grab your hard to replace documents and leave. Making backups of your valuable documents will also help in case of disaster. Scan and backup your photos while you're at it. Amazon, Google offer cloud services

4. Build a weekly or monthly family plan.

Use our weekly calendar templates or monthly blank calendars to generate a plan for your family. No need to sync up across multiple devices. one simple plan and a refrigirator magnet is all you need to get going. Plan chores, outings, social gatherings etc, all accessible in one centralized location. Often find yourself wondering what to do on weekends? Simply create a list of fun things to do in your city, or nearby locations, and mark them off as you go. Be spontaneous

5. Be on time

It is inevitable to feel flustered and overwhelmed when you run late to your appointments, classes, meetings, or scheduled activities. When you are late, you may miss out on important information, throw your team off-schedule, and you may come across as lazy or uninterested. Avoid being late by planning to be where you need to be 10 to 15 minutes early. This way, you leave time for unexpected events that may slow you down. My personal motto is..."Better to be an hour early, than a minute late."

6. Give tomorrow a passing thought.

Each night, before you go to sleep, try to run over, in your mind, what your "tomorrow" will look like. I'm not suggesting that you completely schedule out your day during this thought process, but just give the next day some thought. Maybe briefly glance at your monthly calendar so you'll know what you're up against. You will rest easier and feel more prepared to face the day when you wake.

7. Delegate

Let's face it. Adulting is hard and can be filled with menial and monotonous tasks. Get help where you can. If you need help at home, recruit your spouse and children. If you need help at work, find ways to delegate tasks that don't need your full expertise. Feeling that you have to be the task-master of everything will ultimately leave you drained and disorganized. Freeing up your schedule from the small things will leave space for more important work. Ask for help. You may be surprised by who steps up!

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